Take refuge in Rob Mack's animal world at Super Ordinary Gallery

Mixed-media artist Rob Mack lives in the mountains, where nature seems just a little bit closer, and visits by foxes and deer and wild animals of all kinds aren't that unusual. For Mack, the wildlife with which he shares physical space represents a mystical bond, a theme that repeats throughout his vibrantly colored prints and assemblages.

That all comes together in a beautiful eyeful for Refuge, his first true solo show, which opens Saturday at Super Ordinary Gallery in RiNo.

Last Sunday evening, Mack walked us through the tight, freshly hung little show, which features half a dozen large pieces and a row of smaller ones and is strewn with spot-painted architectural salvage pieces and driftwood. As we took in the display, Mack explained how he layered the works for a dimensional look that he enhances by juxtaposing bright, opposing colors.

Photo by Tran Wills, Super Ordinary Gallery.

Built up from salvaged wood and recycled frames, each large work is dominated by woodland creatures portrayed in perfect symmetry and paired with symbols of protection. Make what you like of them; for Mack, they are talismans set in motion by shared parallels in his own life.

Susan Froyd is a Denver native who studied English, Art and finally Journalism at Metro State University, and also managed movie theaters and sold art supplies before landing at Westword in 1992. Decades later, she still feels privileged to serve the vibrant artists in all disciplines who make our town a more engaging place to live.